The invention is based on the object of creating a processing unit which is, for example, designed as a cutting unit, which can be installed in a device in accordance with the species in order to avoid the above mentioned disadvantages, and which is capable of processing increased amounts of material difficult to process, such as material to be chopped, for example hard, fibrous and/or wet material to be processed, without problems. A further object is to assure the large uniformity of processing of the material to be chopped, even at a reduced degree of comminution. It is moreover intended to permit its employment in connection with further processing steps of foodstuffs, besides cutting or chopping, to be simple, safe and easy to operate and clean with little effort.
This object is attained by means of a processing unit having the characteristics of claim 1, or respectively of a device having the characteristics of claim 15.
In a preferred embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention for a device for processing foodstuffs, this drive unit comprises at least two processing means arranged on a processing axis A and acting in the circumferential direction of the processing axis A, wherein at least one processing means can be pivoted in relation to at least one further processing means within a limited pivot angle around the processing axis A.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, the processing axis (A) is defined by a support shaft.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, the processing means have been selected from the following group or comprise combinations from it: blades for cutting and/or squeezing, fingers for kneading or peeling, beaters for creating foam.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, it is embodied as a cutting unit and has at least one first blade, which is arranged, secure against twisting, on the support shaft. It moreover has at least one second blade, which can be pivoted in relation to the first blade, preferably around 180°, around the common processing axis A from a position of rest into a cutting position.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, it is embodied as a cutting unit and has at least one first blade, which is arranged, secure against twisting, on a support shaft. It moreover has at least one second blade, which can be pivoted in relation to the first blade, preferably around 120°, around the common processing axis A from a position of rest into a cutting position. Furthermore, this processing unit has a least a third blade which can be pivoted in relation to the first blade, preferably around 240°, around the common processing axis A from a position of rest into a cutting position.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, it is embodied as a cutting unit, wherein this time a transition piece is arranged at least between a first blade and a second blade in such a way, that the pivot angle of the second blade in respect to the first blade is increased to more than 360°.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, it is embodied as a cutting unit and has at least one first blade, which is arranged, secure against twisting, on a support shaft. It moreover has at least one second blade, which can be pivoted in relation to the first blade, preferably around 480°, around the common processing axis A from a position of rest into a cutting position. Furthermore, it has a least a third blade which can be pivoted in relation to the first blade, preferably around 960°, around the common processing axis (A) from a position of rest into a cutting position.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, all blades can be arranged resting above each other in their positions of rest, viewed in the direction of the processing axis A.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, its blades are substantially oriented radially in respect to the processing axis A.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, a deflector, having respectively one deflector wing acting in the circumferential direction of the processing axis (A), is arranged above and/or below the processing means. During the operation of the processing unit these deflectors turn along with the support shaft in order to convey the material to be processed, which had been flung upward or downward out of the effective range of the processing means in the course of the rotation of the processing unit around the processing axis A, back into this selfsame effective range.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, the deflectors are arranged substantially radially in respect to the processing axis A.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, a lower deflector can be fastened, held in place by torque and releasably, at a lower end of the processing unit, viewed in the direction of the processing axis A.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, the processing means are arranged at an axial spacing from each other in the direction of the processing axis A.
In a further embodiment of the processing unit in accordance with the invention, the blades, viewed in the direction of the processing axis A, are arranged closer to the lower end of the processing unit than to the oppositely located upper end of the processing unit.
In a preferred embodiment of a device for processing foodstuffs, this device has a top part, a drive unit, a lower part with a processing container, as well as a processing unit, which can be driven by means of the drive unit and has the just mentioned characteristics.
In a further embodiment of the device its drive unit can be operated manually or electrically.
In a further embodiment of the device its drive unit and its processing unit are in an operative connection with each other via a releasable connection maintained by means of torque.
In a further embodiment of the device its manually operable drive unit contains a crank drive mechanism, preferably a cord pull drive mechanism.
In a further embodiment of the device a winder, which can be caused to perform a rotating movement by means of pulling a cord pull, is in an operative connection with an engagement member in such a way that a resulting rpm gear ratio amounts to more than 1, preferably 1.8 to 1.9.
In a further embodiment of the device its winder is seated, maintained in place by torque and rotatably, by means of a driving wheel on a cover shaft projecting on the inside of a cover of the top part. As a result, the rotating movement of the driving wheel can be transferred to an axial wheel, which is arranged extending coaxially to the processing axis A.
In a further embodiment of the device an interior tooth arrangement of the driving wheel engages an exterior tooth arrangement of the axial wheel.
In a further embodiment of the device, its processing container is a substantially rotation-symmetrical vessel for receiving material to be processed, and its processing unit is rotatably seated in this processing container.
In a further embodiment of the device, its processing unit, viewed in the direction of the processing axis A, is seated with an upper end of the processing unit, which is in an operative connection, maintained by means of torque, with the drive unit, as well as with a lower end, facing away from the upper end, which is rotatably seated in the bottom of the processing container.
In a further embodiment of the device a desired degree of processing of the foodstuffs is detected by an electronic unit on the basis of a defined number of processing steps, which are preferably correlated with a defined number of revolutions of the drive unit, or respectively of the processing unit, and is displayed to the user by means of a display unit.
In a further embodiment of the device, the electronic unit and the display unit are provided with electric current by a generator, which is driven by means of the drive unit and/or the processing unit.
In a further embodiment of the device, the display unit contains three LED's of different colors, preferably the colors green, yellow and red.